URC Quarter-Finals Talking Points: Duhan van der Merwe misses out for Edinburgh

The URC play-offs are set to begin this weekend, starting off with the last eight battling it out in the quarter-finals. 

Given that three games are needed to win the competition instead of two in the Premiership, it is a title that is much harder to win. 

There is no room for error, and form goes out the window when the play-offs come around. 

South African teams being in the mix means that there are a couple of tough away games on the horizon for those needing to travel to the Southern Hemisphere. 

Here is the biggest talking point ahead of all four quarters. 

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Leinster v Scarlets: Huge game for Welsh rugby 

Welsh rugby has been in absolute ruin for the past few weeks, and even further if you look at some of the big issues, with there now being real threats of the WRU cutting funding for one of the regions. 

Scarlets went on a remarkable run which saw them win their last four games of the season to sneak into the play-offs, but face the mammoth task of Leinster in Dublin now. 

As was seen with the Champions Cup defeat against Northampton Saints, the Irish side have a poor result in them and are beatable. 

The odds are firmly stacked against Scarlets, but if they were to put in a good performance and even get a result, the morale boost that it would give Welsh rugby would be huge. 

It could even send a message to the WRU that cutting a region isn’t the way forward. 

Nobody knows what the future holds, however, a result here could make a huge difference in the long term. 

Sharks v Munster: Unstoppable home form for South Africans 

Last year’s losing semi-finalists Munster, head to South Africa for one of the toughest away days possible in the URC. 

Sharks have only missed out on the play-offs once since joining the league in 2021 and have only lost once at home in the entire URC season. 

Their solitary league defeat did come at the hands of an Irish team, but it was Leinster who got the better of them in Durban. 

South African teams have proved a bit of a weakness for Munster, having only won once against one in the league this season. 

They beat the Lions in Limerick earlier in the season, struggling to make an impact in their other games since. 

Form does tend to go out of the window in the play-offs, which Munster will certainly be hoping is not the case. 

Bulls v Edinburgh: No van der Merwe for visitors 

It looked as if Duhan van der Merwe would be making his return for Edinburgh, having travelled with the squad down to Pretoria. 

Unfortunately for them, he has not been selected in the squad to play by Sean Everitt. 

He hasn’t played a game since the end of March and has been hugely missed on the wing. 

Alongside Darcy Graham, the two represent two of the most potent wingers in the league and would have been a huge boost for a team heading to a very difficult away test in South Africa. 

The two teams met at The Hive in the Challenge Cup, with the Scots coming out on top, but down in Pretoria, it will be an entirely different test. 

Glasgow Warriors v Stormers: Repeat of last year 

Glasgow and Stormers played each other in the quarters of last year’s competition, and the Scots will hope that history will repeat itself. 

Warriors beat their South African opponents at Scotstoun Stadium on the way to winning their first ever URC title. 

Now, as reigning champions, they will hope that their quarter-final springboards them towards some more success. 

Despite being the holders, Franco Smith’s side are not necessarily favourites going into the play-offs, with many fancying Leinster, Bulls and Sharks more. 

Sione Tuipulotu being back to full fitness will be a massive boost, and they have every chance of at least progressing to the semis. 

By Charlie Elliott

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